A.N. Thanks for the reviews Steph and Tali.  I made some changes to the chapter. Let me know what you think.

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Chapter One: The Reluctant Groom

He'd been waiting for what felt like hours!  Why ask him to show up the moment Apollo was leaving if they were just going to make him wait.  He paced the length of the receiving room for what seemed like the hundredth time. 

He considered barging in and demanding what they wanted, but the consequences for that would be severe.  They weren't just his parents they were the King and Queen so a certain respect was demanded. 

They're doing this deliberately.  It's all a plot to drive me insane!  He sighed.  This was Zeus knew how many hours of his immortality he would never get back.  He could have been doing something constructive like starting a war or bugging Xena.  A grin that could only be described as lovesick appeared on his face.

She's thawing towards me.  Soon he could bring her to Olympus as his bride.  And they could have children.

"The King and Queen will see you now," a disembodied voice announced. 

"About damn time," he muttered.  He tugged at his leather vest to make sure it was straight and ran a hand through his curly black hair.  Even as a young godling he hated being summoned by his parents.  It never meant anything good.  Usually it was after he did something to one of his siblings or cousins, but that was beside the point. 

He entered the throne room.  His parents were seated side by side on their thrones.  His mother looked radiant.  His father looked as handsome as he always did – at least that's what he heard his aunt tell his Uncle Hades. 

His parents' relationship had dramatically improved when Zeus had vowed never to betray his wife again.  She in turn had promised never to try and kill any of his illegitimate children especially Hercules.  He supposed both were keeping to their ends of the bargain since he hadn't heard or seen any explosions of thunderbolts and fireballs from his place.  He also suspected that both had warning systems up to alert for any rule breakage. 

His heart stopped and sunk to his feet when he saw they were holding hands.  This meant that they were going to double team him. 

"Good morning Mother.  Father,"

"Ares," his father acknowledged.

Oh no!  He's smiling!  His feet itched to turn and run and never stop.  He could go live with his old buddy Thor.  He had a standing invitation after all.  Mount Olympus and Greece were overrated.  Besides, he'd always wanted to visit Valhalla.  Now was his chance.  He could make a run for it.  His father's left raised eyebrow that seemed to promise a thunderbolt up the butt convinced him to remain where he was.  First they make him wait forever now they were going to ruin the rest of his millennium with whatever they were going to tell him.

Oh please don't let it be that they're going to try to get pregnant!  Like any self-respecting offspring, no matter the age, he shuddered at the thought of his parents having sex.       

"You weren't waiting that long, honey," his mother said interrupting his thoughts.

He refrained from snorting.  She was smiling as well.  He definitely wasn't going to like this.  Instead he said, "You wanted to see me."

"Yes we did.  We wanted to…"

It was the same spiel he'd heard a hundred times before so he tuned his father out, making the appropriate nods at intervals to show he was listening, and allowed his thoughts to return to Valhalla.  It was his idea of Paradise.  All those warrior virgins in one place, pure, innocent, and bloodthirsty, untainted by the irritant that was the annoying storyteller.  The damn bard had ruined Amazons for him.  He no longer enjoyed them like he should.  Worse than that, she'd taken Xena and turned her against him.  One day she'll pay for…   

"I'm so delighted you agree, darling!"

His mother's words jerked him from his thoughts.

"Agree?  Agree to what?  I didn't agree to anything!"

"Of course you did," his father had a satisfied yet evil grin on his face.

"What," he swallowed hard, "what did I agree to?"

"Get married,"